Palin Derangement And Reality

With all that she has accomplished, why do people on the left and some on the right, say that Sarah Palin is dumb or more kindly, unequipped for the presidency? The first thing that strikes me when I see the question of Palin and the presidency raised is one that is always fascinating when watching journalists and pundits. For so many of these, the question drives them like it is their personal version of porn. And, they are unable to accept that anyone who has served in or seeks public office might tell them the truth: it’s possible that someone might say they are non-committal…BECAUSE THEY ARE NON-COMMITTAL! But, no…whatever they say, the question for consideration is, “What did they mean by that?” or “What is their strategy?” How should they translate the plain English? They are the “experts.” Thank you, no.

But the reason the left calls Palin dumb is simple: ideology, ideology, and ideology. They hate what she believes and she’s dumb because she doesn’t believe what they do. As we have seen here, not only is she dumb, but so is anyone who likes her. Oh, the unbearable humiliation! Barrack Obama does things that they would sneer at her for. No matter. He’s right. He’s an intellectual. By the way, I’m less impressed with Obama than most Harvard nuts. Oh, and Palin’s a conservative woman to boot. If liberals believed in spirits, they might think she must be demon possessed.

For those harmonizers on the right, it’s a little more complicated. First, they reach for their behinds at the charges of the left. And secondly, there’s a bit of Washington establishment academic chauvinism going on. The Ivy League is preferred. An East Coast University, University of Chicago or Stanford at least. “No offense intended, but we do have standards.” David Brooks of The New York Times, who went to The University of Chicago has been the worst: “She's a joke.” I used to think Brooks was a little bit provincial. Now, I think he's a joke. Princeton’s George Will, Harvard’s Charles Krauthammer, and Yale’s Michael Medved, all of whom I like, have been more gracious in their dismissal. New Yorker Jon Stewart said he didn’t like that “real America” stuff from people between the coasts. That’s fine. I understand that from his perspective. I also understand the Ivy League parochialism. But, I also understand that neither of these pigeon holes represents a majority of American voters, who are out here actually doing and making things besides articles. I don’t need writers and talkers to advise me on a heart surgeon or a chief executive.

To those provincials, my response is that they read and write in the same language and read the same books in universities all over the place. I’ve read and heard a lot of these Ivy League products and icons. Generally, I’m not particularly impressed. And the fact is that some of the nuttiest and most socially destructive ideas were birthed in the world’s most prestigious academic hotbeds, never mind that these ideas are all over the map. It has always been fascinating to me that scholars span the ideological spectrum including directly contradicting each other, but they are all learned and respected if they have the right institutional imprimatur. It’s kind of like how journalists (and Obama too, obviously) thought Joe Biden had great foreign policy experience and wisdom because he served long on and chaired The Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Forget that over the years, he was on the wrong side on most of the positions and votes he took on foreign policy in The Senate.

But, more important than these questions are Palin’s record of accomplishments in government and as an executive; the sort of which Barrack Obama had none of until he racked up the largest debt in the history of the world in one year as US president. Well, she would never match that. But, what she did in a short amount of time in ordering The Republican Party, the state government, and the disposition and conditions of energy contracts and projects in Alaska, not only could Obama not have done but I submit that neither could have any of the 2008 presidential candidates on either side. An executive position requires a keen and tenacious executive achiever, not a penny-loafered, back-packed Ivy League pinhead.

Fine, call us dumb. Now, please step aside and take a seat. But the most important thing about Sarah Palin is not just her common-sense purpose and assertiveness. It’s the fact that she can jazz and inspire confidence from a population just by showing up. And, I’ve seen her gain the trust of people across the ideological and social spectrum. I’ve always thought I had great ideas about how I’d like to see the country function. But, I could put a class of ADD boys to sleep inside 15 minutes. Those attributes of assertiveness and allure are a rare package in the history of American politics. If Republicans don’t plan and devise to bottle and sell that, they will once again demonstrate their capacity as “The Stupid Party.”

Comments

You all down there in Texas you all go ahead and think she is the cat's meow. I sure hope ya run her for your conservative friends. Do you really think she would make it past primary debates. The hate that comes off your pen is sad. Your thinking delusional. The GOP had the keys for 8 years and left a mess. In one year Mr. Obama cannot fix a throughly broken government. You all knew it was broken that is way GOP ran an old man and air head for VP. You did not want to win but wanted to come back on the white horse and save the day. Do you think the rest of America is stupid. We maybe silent....not like the teabaggers but we are watching .We see who is trying to make an effort to fix the problems we face and we see who are the ones who at every turn deny any legislation from passing even bills a year ago they voted "for."...we can only come to one conclusion. You really really do want Mr.Obama to fail and so by extension the country. Why do you hate America so much? Why did you not save us in the 8 years you were in office. You should be in the White House if you were so great. But here you are thinking Ms. Palin is the best thing since RR. Well she could not even hold his coat tails. Run, please we beg you so that once and for all she will be done with the lower 48. We in my part of the world dont like quitters. You quit on your own people you will quit on America when times are tough. And I am not taking a seat. I am yelling with all my might. I am done with you GOP. I have voted for you in the past but no more. Palin and her elk are not the way of the future. You run her you are the laughing stock of the free world. We are losing the world stage already, her election would create a mass exodose from America, its dollar, loans from China called back (no we did not raise taxes for two wars we sold away our country on credit_). So I am not going to sit by and let that happen I am a REAL American. I do care what happens. I dont want to suceed from the Union I will work to make it succeed. God Bless us all and may he be the one to whom our prayers flow. The God of all not just Christians but Islamist, or Buddist. We are a big country with color and diversity. Long may we reach out together in common need and spirit and not as people of a political party but as Christians and Jews and Muslims...people of faith come together and defeat those who have crept into our view. The birthers, the bigots the small minds who want to apply small minded solutions to big problems.

Permalink Submitted by Rosalind Ritten... on February 13, 2010 at 2:10 PM

"ANONYMOUS" that tells me a lot about your committment. And may I add the "hate" coming off of your pen is stinging my eyes. Lest ye forget "BILL CLINTON"left things in a pretty BIG mess. I am a Christian, REAL AMERICAN, Texas Native, Right to Life, Conservative, Palin supporter and proud of it. Your insults mean nothing to me or in the grand scheme of things. If something as small as Sarah Palin's running for office can make you want to leave America.....Let me hold the door for you!! Rosalind Rittenhouse Tuttle~Dallas, Texas.

Permalink Submitted by Jess A Longwinder on February 14, 2010 at 9:01 AM

Ah, good example of the ignorance coming out of the so-called "public" school system these days. I counted 6 grammatical errors in the first 4 sentences. I can overlook one or two typos once in a while. Everyone misses the keys occasionally, but, please, if you are going to comment, at least learn the language enough to communicate properly. It's not only distracting; it's down right hard to comprehend.

Then, perhaps, you can vent all your own hatred and someone might actually read it.

Permalink Submitted by Jes A Longwinder on February 14, 2010 at 9:17 AM

Palin looks great and gives a great speech too. There is a place for her in any conservative movement. She's a good draw. That tea party convention probably would not have gotten a mention from the media if Palin hadn't been showcased.

However, let's not forget the 8 years of embarrassment every time Bush spoke. God bless him, his heart is in the right place but there is no denying that he was not able to convince the people because of his inability to communicate and sway public opinion. The media ate him alive. I don't want to have to endure that again. As President, assuming she could win, Palin would give the media all that they could ever dream of in fuel for their hatred and material for their comedy. Winning the election is not enough. The President must also be able to function and survive the onslaught of the liberal media.

Palin needs to mature in her experience. Half a term as a governor of Alaska is not much better than Obama's short stint as a Senator. We can do better.